World leaders and prominent figures have congratulated Robert Cardinal Francis Prevost on his historic election as the new head of the Roman Catholic Church. Cardinal Prevost, a U.S.-born cleric and former Prefect of the Vatican Dicastery for Bishops, was announced as the 267th Pope following the conclusion of a two-day conclave at the Vatican.
He has taken the papal name Leo XIV, succeeding the late Pope Francis.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, former U.S. President Donald Trump, and Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi were among the first to send their goodwill messages following the announcement by French Cardinal Dominique Mamberti, who declared the election results with the traditional Latin phrase, “Habemus Papam” (“We have a pope”).
President Tinubu, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, congratulated the new pontiff and the global Catholic community, particularly Nigerian Catholics, on what he described as a moment of great spiritual significance. He praised Pope Leo XIV’s message of hope and peace, adding that it resonates deeply across faiths and continents.
“The President acknowledges the strong, enduring relationship between Nigeria and the Holy See,” the statement read, highlighting the Church’s longstanding role in peacebuilding, education, healthcare, and humanitarian development across Nigeria.
Tens of thousands of faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square erupted in cheers as white smoke emerged from the Sistine Chapel chimney, signaling the election of a new pope. Moments later, Pope Leo XIV appeared on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, smiling and bowing to the crowd before delivering his first message: “Peace be with you.”
Prevost’s election marks a series of firsts—he is the first American to lead the Catholic Church and one of the few popes with deep missionary experience in Latin America. Born in Chicago to French and Italian parents, Pope Leo XIV is a member of the Augustinian religious order. He spent decades as a missionary in Peru, served as the Prior General of the Augustinians from 2001 to 2013, and was later appointed Bishop of Chiclayo, Peru.
Elevated to cardinal in 2023 and to cardinal-bishop in 2025, Prevost quickly became one of Pope Francis’s most trusted aides. As Prefect of the Vatican office responsible for bishop appointments, he played a crucial role in shaping the Church’s leadership across the globe.
Former President Donald Trump also extended his congratulations, calling Pope Leo XIV’s election a “powerful and unifying moment for people of faith.” Peter Obi, in a statement shared via social media, praised the new pope’s legacy of service and humility, saying his papacy comes at a time when the world urgently needs moral leadership and spiritual renewal.
The conclave concluded in under two days, mirroring the relatively swift elections of recent popes. Pope Benedict XVI was elected in four ballots in 2005, while Pope Francis emerged after five rounds in 2013. The exact number of ballots for Pope Leo XIV’s election remains undisclosed.
